Broken But Not Alone
by FairELF
Summary: He didn’t want to go home but he had to. It would only get worse if he stayed at work. He couldn’t tell anyone because no one would believe him, they would only laugh. Tim centred. M for safty. Warning: deals with domestic abuse and rape.
1. Broken

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own NCIS, nor any of it's characters.

**Authors note:** Well here's my seconded fan fic. Another torture timmy I'm afraid. Please R+R!

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**Broken But Not Alone**

**Broken**

He didn't want to go home but he had to. It would only get worse if he stayed at work. He couldn't tell anyone because no one would believe him, they would only laugh. And he couldn't stand that. Nobody had noticed that he had changed, nobody asked, nobody cared. And he didn't want to tell them. He could deal with it on his own.

He walked towards the lift with dread and fear pulling at his gut. Maybe today he would be left alone. _Unlikely_, he thought as he remembered this morning's departure. She hated it when he went to work, especially when he was called in without warning. He hated her. He hated himself. He hated the fact that he was too weak to leave her, too scared of what she may do.

Bruises. That's all he could expect. He had lost count of the numbers, they were always hidden, no one ever saw them. That was her plan. She had met the team and they had liked her. Well DiNozzo had liked her, the others hadn't said. But in meeting the team she had cut him off, isolated him from their help. They wouldn't believe him.

As expected the blows rained down on him as soon as he got 'home'. He didn't fight, didn't resist he knew that that would only make it worse. Bruises upon bruises. Hopelessness etched into his mind. The punches no longer hurt. Now it was only the kicks that caused him to gasp in pain. He was on the ground, the kicks hitting every covered bit of skin. And then it stopped, and she walked to the kitchen. She was finished for now. He was disgusted with himself. He, a federal agent, couldn't stop himself from return home every night to the abuse, couldn't stand up for himself.

He tried to stand up, and hid the wince of pain the action caused against his swollen and tender skin. She was making dinner as if the previous event had not just occurred. He went along with the game. He knew what would happen otherwise. His body felt cold and clammy. He needed a shower.

In the shower he realised what he had done to upset her. He hadn't kissed her goodbye this morning; he hadn't even been able to look her in the eyes after last night. _Yes_, he though, _yes, this beating he had deserved_. He tenderly felt his torso and winced as he felt his ribs. Two fractures. Not too bad. He had had worse. He would be able to hide this punishment.

After the shower, he went and sat in the living room, watching the TV. He didn't write anymore and she didn't like computers. She called him and he walked into the kitchen. He saw her cutting up some vegetables.

"_Darling, could you pass me the vinegar?"_ she asked.

He reached up to the top shelf and gasped at the pain it caused. He brought it down and turned around too quickly. Sharp pain coursed through his torso and he dropped the bottle. It shattered on the floor. She looked at him and anger once more flashed in her eyes. He tried to step backwards but he was frozen with fear. He saw her approach him, the knife still in her hand. Terror now caused through his brain and he couldn't hear what she was saying. His eyes fixated on the knife as it moved towards him and forced itself into his body twice, before falling to the floor. He followed it down. She stood over him with a look on pure disgust on her face before she turned around and left the apartment.

His surroundings started to fade around him. He had to do something now, otherwise he would be here until the team discovered he was missing and as it was his weekend off, by the time they worked it out it would be too late.

He dragged himself back into the living room, ignoring the pain it caused and the stinging from the vinegar. He fought off the darkness as he forced himself upright beside the side table and grabbed the phone. The pain was starting to fade. He was getting cold. He was tired. He pressed 1 on his speed dial, and waited, his eyes dropping shut. He didn't have the energy to keep them open.

The phone rang and he wondered if it would be answered before he passed out.

"What, McGee?" came the harsh voice he knew and trusted.

"B'ss...indsmehlp..." he mumbled.

"What McGee? Say it again." He thinks that he can hear worry in his voice, but he knows that he's imagining it.

"...hlpb'ss..." He tries to fight the darkness once more.

"McGee! Where are you?" He imagines him rushing around his boat, panicking, running to the car, but he knows that he isn't. He don't matter that much. He's probably just fed up with him after his performance over the last week. He hadn't tried to help Tony as he fought their latest arrest. He knew that he would only be a hindrance with the injuries he had kept hidden from the team. Tony had got a concussion, but he had come out worse. He got the contempt from Gibbs, the scorn from Ziva, the disdain from Abby, the guilt from himself and the abuse from home. The only reason he called Gibbs was because he was the only one he had left. Sarah wasn't talking to him after he had thrown her out of his apartment the previous week when he realised that_ she_ was coming home. He suddenly realises that Gibbs had asked a question.

"...hmm..."

"Ok McGee. I'm on my way. I want you to stay awake, ok McGee! Stay awake! McGee! McGee!" He doesn't hear him as he allows oblivion to take over.


	2. Finding Tim

**Finding Tim**

He had been working on his boat when the call came. He looked at the screen and saw that it was McGee. Irritation flared in his chest, quenching the fear in his gut. His heart was telling him to ignore the call as punishment for him not helping DiNozzo, but his gut was reminding him that Tim would never have called him unless it was an emergency. His gut won.

"What, McGee?" his voice came out harder than he meant it to be

"B'ss...indsmehlp..." Any irritation he had felt for the kid was immediately killed when he heard this quietly slurred mumble. His gut twisted again.

"What McGee? Say it again." He was already getting his gear together, quickly grabbing his badge, gun and first aid kit, panic and adrenaline fuelling his actions.

"...hlpb'ss..." His mind rocked. McGee never asks for help. Something was seriously wrong. This mumble was, if possible, even quieter.

"McGee! Where are you?" He runs out the car, feeling his fear dramatically increase as he waited of an answer but only got sallow raspy gasps down the phone. After what seemed like hours he it came.

"...hmm..." He was at home. He pulls out of the drive.

"Ok McGee. I'm on my way. I want you to stay awake, ok McGee! Stay awake! McGee! McGee!" He gets no response, which pushes him to drive even faster his mind working a mile a minute. _What was wrong? What had happened? Why did Tim call him for help? Where was his girlfriend... what was here name...Chelsea?_ He listens to the shallow breathes over the loud speaker, then hating himself ended the call. As soon as he had rung off, he dialled Zivas number knowing see lived closest to Tim.

"Ziva David" He can hear the tiredness in her voice, it was, after all, 1 o'clock in the morning on her day off.

"Ziva, I need you to get over to Tim's apartment now. He's in trouble. I'll meet you there." And he rang off. As soon as that conversation was over he rang for an ambulance, for although he had no idea what had happened, he knew that Tim would need assistance,_ if he was still alive_, he shook his head. He couldn't think like that. After a short 911 call he rang his senior field agent.

"DiNozzo" Again he heard the tiredness.

"Tony I need you to make your way to the hospital." the more he thinks about the situation the more worried he becomes.

"Why boss? I'm fine the docs said so." He can hear the confusion in Tony's voice that shows he still has a mild concussion.

"Call a cab and get over their DiNozzo. I think Tim's been hurt. I'll be sending him to Bethesda. I need you to be there when he arrives." A second for the shock of the statement to sink in then;

"On it boss." And he hangs up.

He toys with the idea of ringing Abby, but until he knew what he was up against he didn't want to face her.

He pulls into the apartment car park and spots Ziva stepping out of her car. He glances at her before sprinting up to McGee's flat, Ziva on his heels. The apartment door is shut so Ziva quickly picks the lock. The door swings open and they gasp. They are unprepared for the scene that's before them.

McGees pale form slumped against the wall, limp hands on his solar plexus, no longer trying to stem the flow of blood out of his body, a bloodied phone in his lap. A snail's trail of blood coming from the kitchen. Silence apart from the plop, plop, plop of his blood dripping from his shirt to the puddle he is sitting in. The apartment, minus the blood, was immaculate. Not a thing out of place apart from Tim.

Gibbs ran towards him, intent on helping him, pulling out gauzes from the first aid kit. He checks his pulse and is relieved to find a pulse, all be it weak and thready. He lays Tim down and presses the gauzes onto the wounds. Tim groans. Ziva checks the apartment before joining them, and helping to apply pressure.

"There's no one here Boss. There's nothing out of place anywhere apart from the kitchen. A knife and a smashed bottle where the blood trail starts." He looks at her. "Gibbs, Chelsea isn't here. It is highly likely that...this was her...you know the statistics..." she trailed off, a dark look on her face. He doesn't have time to reply before the paramedics arrive and push them out of the way. They start muttering medical mumbo-jumble, as Gibbs and Ziva look hopelessly on.

Suddenly McGee was on a stretcher being carried outside, passed the curious eyes peeping around curtains. They followed them down, back to the car park. Gibbs tried to force himself onto the ambulance but the medics wouldn't let him, Tim was too unstable so he was forced to travel behind them in his car.

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Tony was waiting for him outside the hospital, his shock evident as he looked at him. Gibbs looked down and only then did he notice the blood that had soaked itself into his clothes. They walked into the hospital together and asked after McGee's state. Gibbs wasn't happy with what they were told;

"Special Agent McGee is in surgery for internal bleeding as well as stab wounds. The blood loss is considerable, but he was alive when he got here. That all I can tell you until his family gets here." The nurse has a nervous look on her face which was enough for them to realise that something was hinky. Usually when they came to the hospital the staff were not too concerned about following protocol with the team, but now they both felt that something was different.

"Fine" said Gibbs "I'll ring is sister and get her down here." The nurse nodded with a small sad smile.

Gibbs went outside leaving Tony in a waiting room. Pulling out his phone he decided that he should also ring Abby, Ducky and Vance.


	3. Understanding

**Understanding**

As a group they waited. Gibbs pacing, Ziva standing still, back to the wall, both in spare scrubs. Tony sitting trying to comfort a crying Sarah. Ducky hugging a hysterical Abby. Jimmy standing looking lost. They waited for news, with tension in the air and emotions running high. The same question running through their heads..._what exactly happen?_

It had not taken Vance long to send a team to McGee's apartment, nor had it taken long to discover that the only prints on the knife were Chelsea's. There was a BOLO out for her as they waited, and the whole team felt rage towards the women who had put their team mate and friend into a 3 hour surgery.

At last a doctor came into the waiting room.

"Who's here for Mr. McGee?" she asks. Her eyes widen as half the waiting room occupants approach her.

"Special Agent." Gibbs says.

"Pardon?" she looks confused.

"Special Agent McGee. Not Mr. McGee. Special Agent McGee." Gibbs growls.

"Ok. _Special Agent_ McGee has pulled through his surgery well and is in recovery. The blood loss he sustained will make his recovery slightly longer, but he will eventually be fine. The wounds to his coeliac plexus tore his superior mesenteric artery, which caused most of the blood loss, was easily fixable, and with a bit of physio he should be physical fine. The internal bleed from his kidneys was also stopped." Relief runs round the group when they hear that Tim would be fine. "Now can I speak in private with Mr. ...sorry Special Agent McGee's relatives?" Everyone looks at Sarah who looks at Gibbs then nods.

As the doctor walks out, Sarah grabbed Gibbs' arm, pulling him with her. She knew the doctor hadn't told them everything and she needed someone there she trusted to support her. Gibbs had long since jumped to this conclusion, especially after they were told that McGee would be _physically_ fine. They entered her office; she shut the door behind them and offered them seats. Sarah choose a seat, Gibbs remained on his feet.

"I need to ask you something." They remained silent, just stared at her. "Do you know why Special Agent McGee is here?" Sarah stayed silent, however Gibbs answered curtly;

"Because his supposed girlfriend, for no known reason, stabbed him twice."

The doctor sighed. "Yes and no. Yes he was stabbed but that's not the only reason why he is here. Even if he hadn't been stabbed he would have probably ended up here tomorrow, if not eventually." They stayed silent again. "On admission Special Agent McGee had multiple contusions of varying degrees on his torso and legs. The hemorrhaging in his kidney was caused by a blunt force trauma. We have reason to believe that Special Agent McGee has been abused."

Shocked silence. And then Sarah's control left and she started sobbing, Gibbs quickly pulled her into a hug. His shock is evident on his face. His agent had been abused over a period of time and he hadn't noticed, no one had. He thinks of the past few weeks. Yes Tim had started to show signs of being abused, situations came into his mind. He had isolated himself from the team saying he had to get home, taken more days off 'ill' then he had in the last year. He had lost the personality that he had gained whilst being on the team, lost his assertiveness and self-esteem he had acquired over the years, preferring to sit out the teasing and not fight back. Even the situation with Tony could be explained with a fear of conflict, or the fact he was already hurt. Grouped together he could see the signs, but they had appeared so gradually he had missed them. The only thing Gibbs had noticed was that he had stopped reacting to his head slaps, which made him slap him slightly harder.

"I'm sorry." said the doctor, bringing him back to the present. "

We're going to do a MRI to see if there are any other internal injuries or broken bones. When he wakes up we will need to talk to him, try to get him to tell us what happened. We may need your help. He trusts you."

"Ok." Gibbs replied whilst still rubbing Sarah's back, his gut clenching with guilt.


	4. Diagnosis

**Diagnosis**

The remaining team members stood in silence as they watched Tim's 'relatives' walk down the corridor.

"Something's definitely hinky..." said Tony.

"I agree Tony, but we will not know what until Gibbs and Sarah return. Let us just be thankful that Tim will be ok..." interrupted Ziva.

"I wonder why she wanted to talk to them in private for. Surely what is said to them could be said to us..." said Abby.

The implications suddenly arrived in the doctor's brain making Ducky shifted uncomfortably where he stood, trying to hide the sadness he suddenly felt for the injured man who had changed is so many different ways over the last few months. He shot a warning glace at Palmer, hoping that if the young doctor came to the same conclusion he would keep his mouth shut until the knew for sure.

"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough my dear."

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Gibbs waited for Sarah to calm down before they went down the seemingly endless corridors, back to the team. Inside he was fuming. She had hurt him, come damn close to killing him, and he hadn't realised what was happening until it was almost too late. Tim had been stabbed before he had told him. Guilt chased itself round his gut. He should have noticed, should have tried to help. He sighed as he realised the he would have to tell the rest of the team knowing pretty much how they were going to react. As they approached, the team turned and looked at them, questions etched on their faces. He sighed again and told them the news.

Tony froze. Anger glinted in Zivas eyes. Abby started crying again. Ducky and Palmer just sighed and shook their heads as if they had expected the news.

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Tim lay there oblivious to the movement around him, unaware of the shocked and angry murmurings of the medical staff that examined him.

"Obvious bruising to his torso..."

"4th and 5th ribs fractured on the left side, 3rd rib on the right. Obvious swelling around the thoracic vertebrae..."

"Swelling around his right knee indicative of a soft tissue injury...possibly a torn ligament...I'm surprised he was able to stand on this leg, let alone do his job..."

"Scalps red and sore...looks like someone has been pulling at his hair...slight bruising at the roots..."

"Looks likes there's a semi-healed fracture to his right humorous...useable but painful..."

"There's a recently healed fracture on his left clavicle..."

"Signs of sexual assault...bruising around his anus and genitals...looks like rape..."

"I hope they catch the bitch that did this...no one should have to go through something like this..."

"I just can't believe his friends didn't stop it..."

"From what I hear, they didn't notice...he hid it well..."

"He must have been in some pain...but his tox. screen didn't show so much as an ibuprofen..."

"So who's going to tell them?"


	5. Wwwhat aare yyyou doing hhere?

**W-w-what a-are y-y-you doing h-h-ere?**

He lay there allowing the darkness to calm him but as he relaxed, the fog started to lift. The first thing that filtered through was sounds...voices..._female_ voices. She was there, she was going to hurt him again, he started to panic and felt a hand restraining him. Not again. He wouldn't let that happen again. He struggled harder, fighting with all his might. More hands but a new voice...a male voice.

"Relax, Tim. You're safe. She can't get you. We're here for you. Just open your eyes Tim."

Instantly he calmed. Someone was there for him...to help him...no...no one cared about him...yeah that's right, this was just a trick to lure him into a false sense of security. He started struggling again.

"McGee, snap out of it! Open your eyes, damn it! It's just us!"

His eyes opened involuntary at the command, his body going rigid. The hands felt this and quickly released him as if scared. Faces appeared on the edge of his limited vision, and then one _very_ familiar face loomed into view.

"B-b-b-b-boss? W-w-what a-are y-y-you doing h-h-ere?"

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God, he had forgotten about the return of the stuttering. It was less noticeable than it had been when they had first met McGee but that was only because he didn't talk as much. Somewhere in the last few months, they had lost their McGee into a shell of his former being. It made him sad and angry to think that his friend self-confidence was so low that he had to question his actions.

"Yes, McGee. I'm here for you...we all are...the others are outside waiting...shall I get them for you?"

Gibbs looked at him but Tim quickly looked away, preferring to study his bed sheets, than those clear blue eyes. Gibbs can see the fear in his body language, and reads what he is thinking, kicking himself for not telling him straight off. He tries to put a reassuring hand lightly on Tim's shoulder, but Tim painfully shifted away from him, trying, unsuccessfully to curl up into a ball. Gibbs withdraws the hand.

"It's just the team. Sarah, Tony, Abs, Duck, Ziva, Jimmy and I. Chelsea's gone. We won't let her back." He silently nods. Anger flared in Gibbs' chest. "Why didn't you tell us McGee? Why didn't you say something? Why didn't you come to me?" He can feel his emotions getting the better of him and silently head slapped himself. _This wasn't his fault. He probably felt scared, alone and isolated, maybe even felt, god forbid, that he deserved. He was angry at her, not at him. He needed to control himself._ He sighs at the non responsiveness, and says "I'll go get them..."

Gibbs walked out the door, leaving the doctor to do their thing in private for a minute. He missed the whispered words from the man on the bed, with the tears running unchecked down his face;

"_It's my fault...sorry boss..."_

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Outside the crowd gathers around their leader.

"Hey," he says quietly "his not looking good. Once he had woken up he wouldn't talk, wouldn't willingly let anybody touch him. He only calmed down because I ordered him too. And I lost it in there, I lost control. We need to catch this bitch!" he watches and loyalty and anger flash into their eyes, eliminating for a second the resident sadness that had lived there for the last few hours, as they all silently agreed. "I told him that I was bringing you to him...he needs us now more than he ever has. Anyone who doesn't think that they will be able to cope should remain outside...we don't want to scare him and make him worse..." Determination flashed in everyones eyes as they walked to Tim's door and waited for the doctors to come back out.


End file.
